Camp

Camp Lake is located approximately 7 miles SE of Soudan within the Superior National Forest. This lake was initially stocked with walleye in the early 1990's and used as a rearing pond. During the following years a self-sustaining population of walleye was established. There is a short portage of approximately 150 feet located off the Putnam/Fishing Lakes Trail. Some ATV use has occurred at the access as well. There are no campsites located near the lake. Walleye was the only species sampled during the 2019 survey. Walleye numbers (19.0/gill net) were above the historic average (10.0/gill net) for this lake and well above average (2.3/gill net) when compared to other similar lakes in the area. The average walleye sampled measured 13.3 inches which is smaller than the historical average of 15.4 inches. Walleye lengths ranged from 9.6 inches to 18.5 inches. Walleye aging indicated several year classes are present from ages 2 to 12.

Camp Lake is in Ecological Lake Class 14, which consists of 92 lakes in northeast Minnesota that are very small, shallow, and have very soft (unmineralized) water. Camp Lake ranks as mesotrophic according to Carlson's Trophic State Index, with a Secchi water clarity of 2.5 m, chlorophyll-a of 6.4 ppb, and total phosphorus of 19 ppb.Camp Lake was not thermally stratified on 08/18/2003 and retained oxygen at saturation to within a foot of the bottom. Winter oxygen was checked in five years in the 1990's and there was poor oxygen (0.5 ppm maximum) only in 1992. Camp Lake has no inlets or outlets. Lake bottom substrates along the shoreline are mostly boulder, rubble, silt, and muck. Aquatic plants are sparse and grow to a depth of 2 ft; the most common plant is yellow waterlily.Camp Lake is entirely surrounded by State of Minnesota lands. Access is by a 150' portage from a snowmobile trail. Camp Lake was used as a walleye rearing pond in 1991 (20,000 walleye fry were stocked and only a few walleye fingerlings were produced) and 1992 (40,000 walleye fry were stocked and 3,520 walleye fingerlings weighing 220 lbs were harvested in the fall). The remaining walleye began reproducing, resulting in a self-sustaining walleye population through 2003.Fish populations in 2003 were sampled with 2 standard gillnet sets, 7 standard trapnet sets, and 2 small mesh trapnet sets. Fish species captured were walleye, golden shiner, and fathead minnow. The total catch of fish (all species combined) in the gillnets of 9.0/net (2.7 lb/net) was in the first quartile for this lake class.A total of 12 walleye were captured, some in each type of sampling gear. Four age classes of walleye were present: ages nine, five, two, and young-of-the-year (YOY). Growth of YOY and age two walleye was faster than normal by area standards, but growth of the older walleye was slower than normal.A total of 99 golden shiner were captured, some in each type of sampling gear in. No mention was made of golden shiner being present in the 1991 or 1992 walleye rearing pond reports on this lake. Fathead minnows were only captured in the small mesh trapnets in 2003; they were also present in 1991 and 1992.

Based on Minnesota DNR survey data, anglers target Walleye in Camp. See the full species list above for catch rates, size structure, and quality scores.

Minnesota DNR records list public access for Camp. Check the DNR LakeFinder page for the launch type and directions before you go.

Camp has a maximum depth of 13 feet, per Minnesota DNR data.

The most recent Minnesota DNR survey data for the main sport fish in Camp is from 2019.

No invasive species are on record for Camp in Minnesota DNR data. Always clean, drain, and dry your equipment to help keep it that way.